Hungarian PM Orbán and Russia’s Putin Discuss Ukraine War and Middle East Tensions
Earlier Wednesday, the Kremlin confirmed that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán initiated a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to a Kremlin statement, the conversation was arranged “at the initiative of the Hungarian side.”
During the call, Orbán emphasized his willingness to pursue “a joint search” for political and diplomatic solutions to the war in Ukraine. Putin, however, blamed Kyiv for obstructing “the possibility of a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” the Kremlin reported.
Their discussion also touched on energy and economic cooperation, as well as the broader “tense situation in the Middle East,” particularly in relation to recent events in Syria.
This phone call comes just two days after Orbán met U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Despite the close timing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Orbán did not relay any messages from Trump during his conversation with Putin. Peskov also dismissed speculation that the two leaders discussed plans for a future meeting.
Orbán is notably the second European leader in the past month to hold a phone conversation with Putin. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also spoke with the Russian president on November 15.
The call continues Orbán’s distinct approach to relations with Moscow. The Hungarian leader was the first EU head of state to meet with Putin in Moscow back in July, shortly after Hungary assumed the EU presidency. This meeting occurred despite ongoing Western efforts to diplomatically isolate Putin over the war in Ukraine.
Reporting assistance by Csongor Körömi.
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